The National Hunt Chase (Challenge Cup) is a novices' chase for amateur riders only and dates back to 1860.
Run permanently at Cheltenham since 1911, it was the race around which the Festival was created and developed.
In fact, it wasn't until 1947 that prize money for the Champion Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup exceeded that of this historic race.
It has produced future Grand National winners including Tiger Roll and Gold Cup winners, like Native River (2nd in 2016).
For safety reasons, the original 4-mile trip was reduced by 2 furlongs in 2020, after only 4 of the 18 starters finished in 2019.
Thus, the number of fences in the National Hunt Chase also decreased, from 25 to 23.
In 2022 the race was renamed the Ukraine Appeal National Hunt Chase in support of the Red Cross campaign.
NATIONAL HUNT CHASE TRENDS
Stamina is obviously still a key prerequisite, but experience counts too, with a large field almost guaranteed to face the starter.
The standard has undoubtedly increased in recent years, with the first and second placed horses in both 2021 and 2022 rated 150+.
You have to go back to the 2011, 2012 and 2013 renewals to find the last favourites to win, while the last outright favourite to oblige before them was Keep Talking in 1992.
LAST 5 WINNERS’ DATA
RECENT WINNERS
Patrick Mullins secured his third success in this amateur riders' contest in 2022, with Stattler producing a flying leap at the last and sauntering clear of an unusually small field.
It was also a third winner of the National Hunt Chase for owner Ronnie Bartlett - following Rathvinden (2018) and Galvin (2021).
Bartlett is chairman of the sponsor of Friday’s Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.
Professional jockeys competed in 2021 due to Covid restrictions and Galvin was ridden by Jack Kennedy, who joked:
Jamie Codd won the National Hunt Chase for a third time in 2020, aboard Ravenhill:
Jamie Codd also won an attritional renewal aboard Le Breuil in 2019, a second Festival winner for trainer Ben Pauling:
Rathvinden won an engrossing duel with the mare Ms Parfois in 2018: